Most of the people I've asked in the industry are of the opinion that cloud gaming of this sort, running the games remotely and streaming the resulting images, is how it's all going to go eventually. Gaikai and OnLive have definitely found a level at which they can turn a profit, but the bigger corps have shied away from it for now because the lack of global high speed broadband means it doesn't really scale up to the kinds of audience size they work with.

I guess Sony have decided they disagree. Expect to see this form a fairly substantial part of their next platform now, even if all they do with it is use it to allow you to play old PS1, 2 and 3 games on your new box without needing to emulate locally. ]]>
The Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=335614#Comment_335614
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=335614#Comment_335614Mon, 02 Jul 2012 13:48:18 -0500Morac
Create Challenge: Best of the Rest. Yay! ]]>
The Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=335663#Comment_335663
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=335663#Comment_335663Tue, 03 Jul 2012 06:31:58 -0500FauxhammerThe only detraction is the dialogue, which is stilted, particularly the narration lines given to Patrick Stewart to read. ]]>
The Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=335667#Comment_335667
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=335667#Comment_335667Tue, 03 Jul 2012 08:01:13 -0500Ben KlumasterThe Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=335669#Comment_335669
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=335669#Comment_335669Tue, 03 Jul 2012 08:39:41 -0500Argos
does have a headphone jack. ]]>
The Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=335670#Comment_335670
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=335670#Comment_335670Tue, 03 Jul 2012 09:15:47 -0500Ben KlumasterThe Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=335671#Comment_335671
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=335671#Comment_335671Tue, 03 Jul 2012 09:37:06 -0500ArgosThe Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=335700#Comment_335700
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=335700#Comment_335700Tue, 03 Jul 2012 14:02:56 -0500Osmosis
Holy cremola, they've announced Rome 2. ]]>
The Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=335712#Comment_335712
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=335712#Comment_335712Tue, 03 Jul 2012 16:07:05 -0500Birds_Use_StarsThe Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=335721#Comment_335721
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=335721#Comment_335721Tue, 03 Jul 2012 18:06:47 -0500MoracI played Penny Arcade - Episode 3 for a couple of hours last night. It's pretty fun! Captures the feel of older turn-based RPGs while still incorporating some new features (items and HP regenerate in between battles, for example). I don't usually go in for this sort of game, but I've been quite enjoying it. The stellar writing might have something to do with it. ]]>
The Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=335740#Comment_335740
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=335740#Comment_335740Wed, 04 Jul 2012 01:04:47 -0500Vornaskottihttp://projectzomboid.com/blog/ ]]>
The Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=335747#Comment_335747
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=335747#Comment_335747Wed, 04 Jul 2012 04:00:41 -0500FlabyoFinal Fantasy: Theatrhythm.

It's a fairly simple rhythm action game for the 3DS, but all the music is from the thirteen Final Fantasy games. It's a total nostalgia fest.

*edit*PSX demo discs were awesome. I had a FFVII/Bushido Blade one that I played a million times. I remember being really confused when I got the full release of FFVII and you didnt get Tifa and Barret and summoning abilities right off the bat.

I also wish they would make another Bushido Blade game, no health bars, one hit kills. The tension that game would build as you and your friend sat there waiting to make the first/right move ]]>
The Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=335938#Comment_335938
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=335938#Comment_335938Thu, 05 Jul 2012 21:23:08 -0500James CunninghamCurrently playing the XBLA version of Spelunky. I'm sure at some point I might progress beyond the 4th level down, but it seems unlikely. A few million more attempts to go before I even begin to get tired of it. ]]>
The Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336059#Comment_336059
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336059#Comment_336059Sat, 07 Jul 2012 14:17:46 -0500Vornaskotti
Telltale's The Walking Dead: The Game and shit... Now, seriously, if you like adventure games and zombie fiction at all, and want to see adult, nasty and at times surprisingly nuanced game writing, do yourself a favor and get this game. Like, seriously, do it. ]]>
The Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336061#Comment_336061
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336061#Comment_336061Sat, 07 Jul 2012 14:29:02 -0500Vornaskotti ]]>
The Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336064#Comment_336064
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336064#Comment_336064Sat, 07 Jul 2012 14:43:40 -0500oldhatThe Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336140#Comment_336140
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336140#Comment_336140Sun, 08 Jul 2012 13:15:45 -0500nelzbub
CLANG, had made it's kickstarter target. Think this could be great. ]]>
The Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336143#Comment_336143
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336143#Comment_336143Sun, 08 Jul 2012 14:33:04 -0500DavidLejeuneThe Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336154#Comment_336154
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336154#Comment_336154Sun, 08 Jul 2012 16:45:24 -0500Alan TysonThe Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336156#Comment_336156
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336156#Comment_336156Sun, 08 Jul 2012 17:24:44 -0500DavidLejeuneThe Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336157#Comment_336157
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336157#Comment_336157Sun, 08 Jul 2012 17:59:18 -0500ArgosThe Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336165#Comment_336165
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336165#Comment_336165Sun, 08 Jul 2012 21:40:17 -0500oldhat
Academy of European Medieval Martial Arts. ]]>
The Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336187#Comment_336187
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336187#Comment_336187Mon, 09 Jul 2012 07:40:24 -0500Vornaskottihttp://www.flickr.com/photos/lockevanish/ ]]>
The Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336200#Comment_336200
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336200#Comment_336200Mon, 09 Jul 2012 11:33:04 -0500joe.distortthe problem is that my wife is getting into SKYRIM right now and its causing some issues w tv time haha ]]>
The Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336286#Comment_336286
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336286#Comment_336286Tue, 10 Jul 2012 07:01:22 -0500FlabyoOf course, if we count the spin offs, the original Final Fantasy Tactics on the PS1 (and later PSP, not the DS games) is the best by miles.

Best RPG of all time though, at least Japanese ones, is Xenogears in my opinion. That story really got under my skin, it's stayed with me for years. ]]>
The Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336297#Comment_336297
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336297#Comment_336297Tue, 10 Jul 2012 09:22:27 -0500joe.distortThe Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336310#Comment_336310
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336310#Comment_336310Tue, 10 Jul 2012 11:32:41 -0500ErikCJonesThe Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336311#Comment_336311
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336311#Comment_336311Tue, 10 Jul 2012 11:36:12 -0500Vornaskotti

Steam Greenlight is a new system that enlists the community's help in picking some of the next games to be released on Steam. Developers post information, screenshots, and videos for their game and seek a critical mass of community support in order to get selected for distribution. Steam Greenlight also helps developers get feedback from potential customers and start creating an active community around their game as early in the development process as they like.

http://steamcommunity.com/greenlight/ ]]>
The Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336379#Comment_336379
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336379#Comment_336379Wed, 11 Jul 2012 04:53:06 -0500FlabyoThe Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336418#Comment_336418
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336418#Comment_336418Wed, 11 Jul 2012 17:30:06 -0500J.Brennan
Ouya is off with a shot. I'd love to see something like this take off and allow more "risky" ventures to be taken in console game-making. ]]>
The Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336430#Comment_336430
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336430#Comment_336430Wed, 11 Jul 2012 22:12:58 -0500InvincibleMMoved on to the HD Devil May Cry collection. I've never played Devil May Cry and wow this game is amazing. I just...shotgun away all my problems to the sound of motherfucking rocking guitars. ]]>
The Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336450#Comment_336450
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336450#Comment_336450Thu, 12 Jul 2012 07:12:25 -0500Flabyo
Rhianna Pratchett is the lead writer on the Tomb Raider reboot.Well that puts a different spin on all the recent hoo-hah doesn't it? ]]>
The Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336454#Comment_336454
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336454#Comment_336454Thu, 12 Jul 2012 08:26:44 -0500Argosedit to add: I'm not saying there should have been for GoT, just wondering why it's okay for one but bad for the other. Is it just because the TR one happened in the midst of other video game sexism so it became a cultural meme to hate on that one? ]]>
The Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336456#Comment_336456
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336456#Comment_336456Thu, 12 Jul 2012 08:55:55 -0500FlabyoThe Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336458#Comment_336458
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336458#Comment_336458Thu, 12 Jul 2012 09:04:21 -0500ArgosThe Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336462#Comment_336462
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336462#Comment_336462Thu, 12 Jul 2012 09:11:45 -0500FlabyoThe Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336464#Comment_336464
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336464#Comment_336464Thu, 12 Jul 2012 09:34:47 -0500ArgosThe Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336469#Comment_336469
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336469#Comment_336469Thu, 12 Jul 2012 10:02:07 -0500RenThingYes. I see a lot of the issues towards violent videogames ("Oh my god, my ten year-old just killed a hooker and took her money!") with some of the issues lobbed toward RPGs back in the '80's ("Oh my god, my ten year-old summoned a demon!"). The issue is both the act AND the fact that it is a child doing it, the issue usually being expressed by a parent who has more of a problem with the combination of the two than the act itself. ]]>
The Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336470#Comment_336470
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336470#Comment_336470Thu, 12 Jul 2012 10:06:55 -0500ArgosThe Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336475#Comment_336475
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336475#Comment_336475Thu, 12 Jul 2012 10:29:15 -0500FlabyoThe Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336478#Comment_336478
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336478#Comment_336478Thu, 12 Jul 2012 10:33:16 -0500rough nightI'm not making a judgement call; I haven't played the latest TR game yet. I've only read about it, so don't know if it's done well or not. I just think a feeling of surprise and betrayal from long time fans over a dramatic reboot is the issue here, based on what I've read, rather than the usual problems people have with adult themes in video games. ]]>
The Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336480#Comment_336480
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336480#Comment_336480Thu, 12 Jul 2012 10:52:07 -0500RenThing"I just think a feeling of surprise and betrayal from long time fans over a dramatic reboot is the issue here, based on what I've read, rather than the usual problems people have with adult themes in video games. "

I think it's partially that but I do also question the use of an attempted rape as a tool to make Lara Croft into the bad ass she later was/will be/is. ]]>
The Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336482#Comment_336482
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336482#Comment_336482Thu, 12 Jul 2012 11:12:15 -0500rough nightWhen I played those games as a teenager, I imagined her early life to be full of Science! and field hockey at private schools for girls... ]]>
The Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336483#Comment_336483
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336483#Comment_336483Thu, 12 Jul 2012 11:15:50 -0500RenThing"But if it were in a game about a new character, rather than a long standing, well loved, feminist heroine, I don't think as many people would be upset."

I can agree and disagree with this. I think the fact that it is Lara Croft, a very well known character, adds to the controversy because she is well-known, thus increasing the "volume" of the controversy because more people would know about her and thus be able to speak about it. I think you're right in that a newer character may have generated less volume regarding a similar controversy, but I would like to think that would be because the newer character is lesser known and not because fewer people would have less of an issue with a lesser known video game character being raped. The later certainly would imply a lot more of negative shit about people than the former.

"When I played those games as a teenager, I imagined her early life to be full of Science! and field hockey at private schools for girls..."

Same. And lots of gymnastics classes. ]]>
The Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336484#Comment_336484
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336484#Comment_336484Thu, 12 Jul 2012 11:32:40 -0500ArgosAnd yes, the rape thing is a tired trope, but I'm not expecting the best story telling when I buy a TR game, I'm looking for fun environment exploring. Also, the person who sexually harasses her is some dude who's been stranded on an island and murdering people, having resorted to primal instincts to survive, and probably gone half-crazy from being stranded on a island. I'd totally believe that a dude like that is going to want to rape a pretty girl when he sees her. Honestly, if anything what pisses me off the most about the reboot is that I'm just tired of Lara getting rebooted. They had one back-story with TR: Revelations, then a new one in TR: Legend, and now another completely different reboot.

I DO agree that it's unnecessary to make attempted rape a crucial part of her formation as a badass. Part of why I loved Lara as a kid is that she was already badass in her own right, not because she had to go through something traumatizing to force her to become that. However, I don't think the new TR story was really that big of a deal, either. ]]>
The Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336492#Comment_336492
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336492#Comment_336492Thu, 12 Jul 2012 13:09:58 -0500oldhatThe Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336495#Comment_336495
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336495#Comment_336495Thu, 12 Jul 2012 13:21:11 -0500ArgosThe Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336497#Comment_336497
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336497#Comment_336497Thu, 12 Jul 2012 13:39:10 -0500RenThingI think it comes down to this: it's Whitechapel. ]]>
The Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336501#Comment_336501
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336501#Comment_336501Thu, 12 Jul 2012 14:32:45 -0500SolarioAlso, like rough night already said, Lara Croft use to be an Indiana Jones type character, except they now decided that rape or near-rape was one of the formative experience that made her into that character. That needs to be treated carefully, otherwise you get the reaction, they got. First of all, rape probably shouldn't be a minor story device, because it trivialises it, and secondly, it's like rebooting the Indy franchise, except now the reason he's afraid of snakes is that they reminded him of the time his uncle molested him. ]]>
The Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336502#Comment_336502
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336502#Comment_336502Thu, 12 Jul 2012 14:38:47 -0500brittanica2. I've not been playing many video games lately, and I'm not sure why. I made it to the final boss of Lollipop Chainsaw, but got disinterested. I've yet to get anywhere near completing the main quest in Skyrim, but the center part of the disc is chipped (btw: Have anyone ever had that happen to them? The readable part of the disc is ok so far, and I'm thinking if I can find some plastic-safe epoxy or something, I can keep it from getting worse. Any ideas?). The only thing I've really been playing is Minecraft, but I'm mostly just dicking around on Peaceful difficulty; I can do w/out Endermen popping up in front of me while I'm concentrating on building and not screaming like a little girl. ]]>
The Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336504#Comment_336504
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336504#Comment_336504Thu, 12 Jul 2012 14:58:58 -0500RenThing"First of all, rape probably shouldn't be a minor story device, because it trivialises it, and secondly, it's like rebooting the Indy franchise, except now the reason he's afraid of snakes is that they reminded him of the time his uncle molested him."

Well put.

@brittanica

Re: Fox News - Won't work unfortunately, unless you have Uncle Warren, Ariana, and Si behind you like a crazed group of psychopaths, smiling like a Crossed, with said implements of fear and censorship in their eager, eager hands. I mean, one reason why WC is as civil and mature (while being uncouth and childish) is the fact that we had moderators who were brutal in their moderation and were respected for it. If we did it we'd would lack the same punch I think. ]]>
The Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336527#Comment_336527
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336527#Comment_336527Thu, 12 Jul 2012 22:33:15 -0500James CunninghamThe Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336530#Comment_336530
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336530#Comment_336530Fri, 13 Jul 2012 00:48:59 -0500FlabyoAnd I was ready to believe that was just backtracking, but now I know it's Ms. Pratchett on the writing here... well, I'm inclined to believe we were just looking at misguided PR. ]]>
The Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336540#Comment_336540
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336540#Comment_336540Fri, 13 Jul 2012 05:45:23 -0500Birds_Use_StarsThe Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336548#Comment_336548
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336548#Comment_336548Fri, 13 Jul 2012 08:25:04 -0500Argos

No, I really don't want rape in my Tomb Raider. It has no place there. There are places where the specter of sexual violence would fit, and Tomb Raider isn't one of them. I don't care how in character it is for the bad guy, it's just doesn't fit anything the series should be.

I DO agree with that; as a TR fan, it's just out of place for that type of game. Now, that being said, I personally didn't get a sense of an "attempted rape scene" when I first saw the trailer until I heard others talking about it, so I am also inclined to give them the benefit of the doubt and believe that someone read between the lines a little too much. I dunno, is it just me that didn't see it without having had it pointed out to them? I mean I did notice the sexual harassment, that much was obvious, but I didn't see it as a full blown attempted rape scene, either. ]]>
The Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336550#Comment_336550
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336550#Comment_336550Fri, 13 Jul 2012 08:55:43 -0500D.J.
this. So it looks like rather than this being a legitimate rape controversy, it's just a creepy murderer guy being creepy.

I do agree that given the content of the game, with an impossibly pretty girl trapped on an island full of ne'er-do-wells, it's realistic and not necessarily sexist that some of them might be interested in rape. Though I've also got to agree that there's not much reason for it to be written into a series like this, even if it's trying to be more realistic. And it's also worth noting that we'd never see this happen were the protagonist a young Nathan Drake, despite it still being a very likely scenario. So I suppose the issues here are content and sexism, which you guys have already been covering.

Edit: Saw this pop-up on reddit in response to the PCGamer article, or more specifically the comments. Some interesting discussion going on here. ]]>
The Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336553#Comment_336553
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336553#Comment_336553Fri, 13 Jul 2012 10:18:39 -0500oldhatThe Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336557#Comment_336557
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336557#Comment_336557Fri, 13 Jul 2012 12:08:55 -0500Flabyo
"Attempted rape will make you want to protect her"

This is a later follow up piece. "That is a word which is not in our vocabulary". ]]>
The Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336563#Comment_336563
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336563#Comment_336563Fri, 13 Jul 2012 13:31:25 -0500oldhatThe knowledge that I am PLAYING AS HER AND WANT TO MOVE FORWARD IN THE GAME WITHOUT DYING.

But hey, sure. ]]>
The Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336623#Comment_336623
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336623#Comment_336623Sat, 14 Jul 2012 23:25:14 -0500James CunninghamI've also gotten Space Giraffe and Gridrunner Revolutions so far. Had 'em already once, but it's nice to see them in the Steam library and not have to fish after activation codes, seeing as they reverted to demo once I updated to Win7 from XP a while back. They also had a nice combo of Alan Wake plus American Nightmare for $10, and there was no way to resist that.

I'm doomed, aren't I? ]]>
The Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336624#Comment_336624
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336624#Comment_336624Sat, 14 Jul 2012 23:31:22 -0500DavidLejeuneThe Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336639#Comment_336639
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336639#Comment_336639Sun, 15 Jul 2012 08:36:59 -0500Flabyo
Meanwhile, Japan carries on regardless... ]]>
The Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336640#Comment_336640
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336640#Comment_336640Sun, 15 Jul 2012 08:47:29 -0500oldhat1. The Steampunk Lite is kind of getting to me. It just seems so..."let's put a gear on it" and I don't entirely see the point of it.2. Buggy as hell. While inspecting things in shops, they disappear never to be seen again. I found I've been fighting some criminals who were floating in mid-air. Wish I could update it via Live, but I don't have my xbox connected. This is kind of the first game I've played where the bugs caused me to consider just turning it off.3. Calling shenanigans on the moral choices. I can be good or evil but in order to progress I need to do good things? Hrm.

Other than that, the landscapes are beautiful and I'm getting my Fable kick that I enjoy. ]]>
The Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336642#Comment_336642
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336642#Comment_336642Sun, 15 Jul 2012 09:59:48 -0500FlabyoThe Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336643#Comment_336643
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336643#Comment_336643Sun, 15 Jul 2012 10:50:47 -0500D.J.And yet, the internet is jizzing over it. ]]>
The Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336645#Comment_336645
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336645#Comment_336645Sun, 15 Jul 2012 11:04:08 -0500AnoxiaEven with the ability to connect your Xbox to Live you'd still find it buggy and annoying to a degree. Some of the DLC stuff is cute, but more of the 'Steampunk Lite' as you so rightly describe. Without trying to spoiler it but also to try and avoid a swift dose of disappointment, beware of the ending, the 'timers' lie...

There are 3 time periods and the first two are fine, the third is shorter than it leads you to believe, you soon find yourself out of time when you thought you had plenty which can make a massive difference to your ending, as I discovered to my chagrin.

As for other games, I'm still trudging around on Diablo 3 every now and again (which even prompted me to write a blog post about how I feel about it), but I'm limited to games I can play on my MacBook or the Xbox. Keep meaning to have a pop at the Dawnguard DLC. Looking forward to getting a PC I can play games on so I can do the Guild Wars 2 Beta weekend coming up and try The Secret World, which sounds like my kind of thing to a tee. Oh, and Borderlands 2! *squee* ]]>
The Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336647#Comment_336647
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336647#Comment_336647Sun, 15 Jul 2012 11:20:34 -0500cjkogerThe Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336649#Comment_336649
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336649#Comment_336649Sun, 15 Jul 2012 11:25:20 -0500AnoxiaI always like to do a good line in subconscious manifestations, glad to hear I've got one right. Seriously though, I thought I was too weird to have likes/ideas that coincide with other please that closely. Creepy! :D ]]>
The Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336653#Comment_336653
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336653#Comment_336653Sun, 15 Jul 2012 11:49:06 -0500James Cunningham

It's just trying too hard. ]]>
The Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336660#Comment_336660
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336660#Comment_336660Sun, 15 Jul 2012 13:03:53 -0500Ben KlumasterThe Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336661#Comment_336661
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336661#Comment_336661Sun, 15 Jul 2012 13:13:59 -0500oldhatI will play a demo, only to hear him go "bang bang bang" or "pew pew pew" every time he shoots. Otherwise....eh.

@Anoxia Ah, hell. Glad I'm not missing out much on the DLC, but these huge bugs...I want them gone. ]]>
The Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336663#Comment_336663
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336663#Comment_336663Sun, 15 Jul 2012 13:27:24 -0500MoracThe Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336664#Comment_336664
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336664#Comment_336664Sun, 15 Jul 2012 13:37:42 -0500Anoxia@oldhat I'm hoping the next installation will learn from the flaws in Fable 3... But maybe they won't. :/ ]]>
The Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336670#Comment_336670
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336670#Comment_336670Sun, 15 Jul 2012 14:15:42 -0500InvincibleMAlso, @Morac, I agree that the two extra voices has to be the worst thing to ever happen to the character.

Remender just straight up ignores the convention in Uncanny X-Force and it makes him much more akin to when Nicieza was writing him on Cable and Deadpool before Daniel Way got his hands on him. ]]>
The Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336671#Comment_336671
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336671#Comment_336671Sun, 15 Jul 2012 14:17:04 -0500James Cunningham

That said, I'm already stuck, and I haven't done anything yet but talk to the pirates.I like adventure games, but I am terrible at them. :( ]]>
The Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336696#Comment_336696
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336696#Comment_336696Sun, 15 Jul 2012 22:45:38 -0500D.J.
Don't feel bad about using walkthroughs for old adventure games. Those things are absurd as fuck. ]]>
The Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336701#Comment_336701
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336701#Comment_336701Mon, 16 Jul 2012 01:38:48 -0500MoracThe Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336791#Comment_336791
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336791#Comment_336791Tue, 17 Jul 2012 10:30:01 -0500tedcroland

About sums up my experience with the sale so far. Stoked that I'm getting stuff I'm excited as hell to play, but the unplayed list gets longer and longer...Valve has effectively tapped into exactly how I want things to be: digital download, organized, played anywhere I can access my account. Valve is doing what publishers of all media should be doing. ]]>
The Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336808#Comment_336808
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336808#Comment_336808Tue, 17 Jul 2012 15:33:44 -0500RenThingThe Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336832#Comment_336832
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336832#Comment_336832Wed, 18 Jul 2012 02:37:58 -0500MoracUnfortunately, now I have the song from this stuck in my head:Saints Row the Third ]]>
The Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336934#Comment_336934
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=336934#Comment_336934Thu, 19 Jul 2012 13:49:13 -0500Vornaskotti
In case you missed it the last time - All the Alan Wake stuff is 75% off in Steam.

Must resist further purchases... ]]>
The Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=337361#Comment_337361
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=337361#Comment_337361Thu, 26 Jul 2012 09:55:53 -0500Foamheadnothing about games. The last one I played was Sonic the Hedgehog on a borrowed Megadrive back when it was the in-thing. But I saw this, and its references to Steam, whatever the bally hell that is, couldn't find it mentioned here already, so... Profuse apologies if this is yesterday's news.)

Operating system Windows 8 will be a "catastrophe" for PC game makers, according to Valve Software's boss.Speaking at the Casual Connect game conference in Seattle, Gabe Newell said the next version of Windows could mean big changes to the PC market.Many took his comment as a criticism of the changed user interface in Windows 8 as well as its built-in Windows Store.The Windows Store could dent the success of Valve's own online market, Steam, through which players buy games.

When Skyjacker failed on Kickstarter I figured I was done with there for a while, barring a rather swanky pen I'm looking forward to receiving, and then in just a few days three separate games pop up demanding attention. Ice-Pick Lodge is doing an oddball called Knock-knock, an indie I'd been looking forward to, Castle Story, started a Kickstarter out of the blue, and Volgarr the Viking is looking epic. Just when I thought I was out, they pulled me back in. ]]>
The Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=337508#Comment_337508
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=337508#Comment_337508Fri, 27 Jul 2012 22:48:46 -0500oldhatThe Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=337660#Comment_337660
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=337660#Comment_337660Mon, 30 Jul 2012 02:02:52 -0500Ben KlumasterThe Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=337985#Comment_337985
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=337985#Comment_337985Sat, 04 Aug 2012 04:06:51 -0500JehrotCLOP ]]>
The Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=338047#Comment_338047
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=338047#Comment_338047Sun, 05 Aug 2012 16:17:00 -0500InvincibleMNext I'm doing Uncharted 2, which I hear is a amazing and Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin because 2D Castlevania is one of my video game addictions. ]]>
The Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=338050#Comment_338050
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=338050#Comment_338050Sun, 05 Aug 2012 16:48:23 -0500James CunninghamThe Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=338473#Comment_338473
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=338473#Comment_338473Tue, 14 Aug 2012 03:32:17 -0500FlabyoRemember Me

I actually like it... Though, granted, I had the added-explanation ending DLC installed. What I like the most is how it gives you a seriously uncomfortable and ambiguous choice at the end, to the point where even the "screw you guys, I'm not using this after all" ending has compelling arguments for it.

For me, at the end of a pretty much perfect mostly-Paragon run of PS3 ME2 and ME3, the only viable choice for me was in fact NOT the DNA-merging ending, but the Control ending (martyr yourself into a more beneficial AI that then controls the Reapers as a helpful, all-powerful space police). Though I did have all of them available.While in that ending you still had to trust that the AI made from you wouldn't go crazy and ruin everything anyway, ANY ending using the Crucible has you trusting that it'll do what it's supposed to, as explained by an AI that's using flawed logic anyway. (Which is what makes the "screw you, I'm not using this after all" ending viable.) So out of the three evils of "destroy the Crucible and also every single AI in the universe, including those you helped bring up as a proper lifeform", "force genetic change that could go awfully wrong (and also possibly a hive-mind) on everyone" and "potentially totalitarian Shep-AI space police", I chose the one that left everyone but the Reapers technically untouched. That way, even though they were being guided and helped along by the Shep-AI, they were still themselves, running on their own devices, with everyone still alive to take up the fight again if things should go wrong.The "Control" ending was, to me, the safest course, and the one with the least sacrifice and risk required on the part of the entire rest of the known universe. And since it'd been made pretty damn clear throughout the entire game that the only way the current spacefaring races would survive would be to use the Crucible, it HAD to be used.I know the "best" ending is supposed to be the "synthesis" ending, which is only available if you get past a certain galactic readiness rating. And I had it available. But, seriously... Changing the genetics of every single species out there? Linking them up with the Reapers in what both the Crucible AI and EDI in the epilogue hint at as being a hive-mind? The other three options would have to be SERIOUSLY tasteless to me for me to go for that.

Also, contemplating Darksiders II which is apparently much better than Darksiders. A varied action game with an RPG upgrade system is a bit difficult to ignore... ]]>
The Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=338514#Comment_338514
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=338514#Comment_338514Tue, 14 Aug 2012 19:49:16 -0500oscillateurAnd for Remember Me (formerly Adrift) : yeah, they did have another publisher at some point. It's good that they have a release date now. French game development is still not what it used to be a long time ago but at least there's not just Ubisoft anymore (I don't have anything against Ubi and have lots of friends there too but they don't do the same kind of stuff as smaller studios do). ]]>
The Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=338527#Comment_338527
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=338527#Comment_338527Wed, 15 Aug 2012 00:41:51 -0500FlabyoMore Mass 3 spoilers...

The 'screw you I'm not using that' ending was something they added in the revised ending patch, you didn't have access to that originally.

I went for the synthesis ending, cause to me it felt like it fit the fiction best. The other choices felt like I was just 'restarting' the cycle again, but that felt like a genuine way out of the cycle of destruction and rebirth the Reapers represented. That, and I wanted Joker and EDI to be able to have kids... hehe

]]>
The Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=338532#Comment_338532
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=338532#Comment_338532Wed, 15 Aug 2012 02:27:57 -0500FlabyoAnd also this. Which is just mental.

To me, the Reaper/Crucible AI's reasoning for the "cycle" was both flawed and self-fulfilling. Throughout ME2 and ME3 (I dunno how much that pops up in ME1, only having played the comic synopsis at the start of PS3 ME2) the idea is established that synthetic life can be equal to non-synthetic life, at least as long as you've been playing Paragon.

The Crucible AI basically started wars between synthetics (the Reapers themselves and controlled AI critters like the Geth) and whichever races were advanced enough, BECAUSE it thought that AI destroying all organics was inevitable. Paragon Shep disproves that several times over if you play carefully. And in fact, when peace is made between the Quarians and Geth, it can be argued that they're already headed towards Synthesis.

The "Control" ending does leave the door open for, say, the Shep AI to go nuts and restart the cycle. But if you subscribe to the idea that a significantly advanced AI is no different from a living person, then I see only one reason why the Synthesis ending would avoid future wars (besides the whole "well they're all organic-synthetics anyway so it wouldn't be a war between organics and synthetics but simply a regular war so the cycle didn't actually restart" argument, which is just semantics). That's if the Synthesis ending also actually introduces the hive-mind it hints at.

And hey, instant telepathy across the galaxy sounds neat. I just wanna make sure people can turn it off at will before I push the button (or throw myself into the beam) that enables it. And not forcing everyone and everything to have circuits in'em in the process would also be neat.

So yeah, I need that game right now. I advise clicking over to Youtube and watching in HD, full-screen. for full effect. ]]>
The Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=338592#Comment_338592
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=338592#Comment_338592Wed, 15 Aug 2012 20:54:27 -0500DonburiBoyI did some writing for it, just some ambient pedestrian scriptwriting. I haven't had a chance to crack open my copy and see if any of my lines made it into the final game or if I got a credit.

But the reviews have been generally positive and I'm curious to hear how it plays. ]]>
The Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=338609#Comment_338609
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=338609#Comment_338609Thu, 16 Aug 2012 03:27:52 -0500FlabyoI still think 'Beware the Magic' is a lousy tagline ]]>
The Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=338650#Comment_338650
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=338650#Comment_338650Thu, 16 Aug 2012 16:13:13 -0500twentythoughtsWhat it is, is a deeply charming RPG-platformer with a neat little system where, once you get a flying blue critter called a "Pepelogoo", you get to call it to you and carry it, using it for floating and double-jumps. It starts doing stuff like blow out flames, melt ice, get frozen, and push buttons as well throughout the game... Throwing it at stuff works as a catch-all for these things, though it is slightly less exciting than it sounds, since they're all obviously "buttons", so to speak. The graphics are neat, the music's good, the enemies are full of character. It's memorable, and it's genuinely challenging.

What it also is is a deeply infuriating game that often remains content to put you on a field with repeating enemies... You'll fight the same enemies over, and over, and over, and over, and over again in sections. The game does a decent job mixing up situations, but in the longer dungeons, they simply don't seem to bother a lot of the time.

This would be fine if the enemies were fun to fight. Some are, a lot of them are not. You'll find a way to quickly-ish kill most of them, and that's the pattern you settle into (again and again and again), with the game not really doing much to mix it up in a lot of the sections.

This becomes particularly annoying in the Ice Pyramid, a labyrinth where you have to scour three fairly large, labyrinthine (and for the most part COMPLETELY IDENTICALLY TILED) areas for a total of fifteen statues. You do this with very few save points, so if you forget to save manually (thank goodness the PS3 version supports savestates), prepare to lose up to an hour of progress if you die. And you'll get nowhere without engaging in some extremely fiddly, clumsy searching in the first two areas. The third area thankfully makes things less labyrinthine, but still forces you to backtrack through several similar areas.

The high points are high, though. Which is why I put up with the really annoying bits. It's the kinda game where you want to see the rest. I'm glad to have finished it, but similarly glad to be DONE with it.

So, um. Yes, I'm conflicted. Buy it if you find it cheap and tolerate very un-Nintendo design choices :) ]]>
The Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=338881#Comment_338881
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=338881#Comment_338881Tue, 21 Aug 2012 22:39:03 -0500InvincibleMAlso playing Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin which is a good time and Starfox Adventures because I don't know why.

That game is so shitty but I will beat it goddammit. ]]>
The Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=338899#Comment_338899
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=338899#Comment_338899Wed, 22 Aug 2012 05:33:02 -0500oscillateurThe Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=339054#Comment_339054
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=339054#Comment_339054Fri, 24 Aug 2012 14:56:16 -0500twentythoughtsStarfox Adventures... I remember completing that back when it came out. It has good bits, and it had awesome graphics for the time. But good gods, some of the quests are asinine, especially the escort ones. And whoever made you chase after the currency in the game... Whoever made that decision, you're now receiving a mildly annoyed glare through my monitor.

And despite having way too many games to play through already, Deus Ex: Human Revolution was on sale through PSN for about the price of a used DVD. One of the apparently-best games of recent, for less than the price of going to the cinema? Yeah, okay, it's being downloaded now.

Also gonna start playing the Telltale "Walking Dead" game, because it's supposedly awesome. ]]>
The Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=339057#Comment_339057
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=339057#Comment_339057Fri, 24 Aug 2012 15:20:27 -0500joe.distortThe Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=339097#Comment_339097
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=339097#Comment_339097Sat, 25 Aug 2012 14:30:41 -0500InvincibleMPortrait of Ruin, which I just beat, was a little too easy and becomes broken once you get gryphon wing and just start floating over everything. The entire difference, being the two character system, seemed a bit pointless at times, especially late game when Charlotte becomes a liability.

Also, PAX next week (PAXPAXPAXPAXPAXPAXPAX). I think Sleestack said something about going, and I'm pretty sure I agreed to meet him at some point. I should probably track him down...

Anyone else going to PAX? ]]>
The Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=339152#Comment_339152
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=339152#Comment_339152Sun, 26 Aug 2012 20:27:22 -0500chiaslutThe Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=339156#Comment_339156
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=339156#Comment_339156Sun, 26 Aug 2012 23:41:54 -0500Morac
for real. Because I'm lazy, my phone number is 2505907398 (though the tweety-box is also still a good option). I'm going to be heading down to Seattle with some friends on Wednesday, and will be in town until the following Monday.

Given my personal transportation restraints, actual meetups will probably have to be at PAX itself. Though I will try to keep this thread updated will all the super cool things I will be up to, I may end up being completely distracted about it (read "may" as "probably will"). ]]>
The Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=339182#Comment_339182
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=339182#Comment_339182Mon, 27 Aug 2012 09:03:01 -0500chiaslutMercury is an experimental, winner-generated arcade roguelike.

" all the game’s content is winner-generated. That means that the game starts out barren. One class for players to play, one monster to fight, and one item to use. But every round, the top two scoring players use a tool built into the game to make a monster, item or class and then that object is automatically inserted into everyone’s game, and players fight for new high scores in an entirely different game every round."

(via Metafilter) ]]>
The Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=339211#Comment_339211
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=339211#Comment_339211Mon, 27 Aug 2012 19:29:46 -0500Morac
here if you are interested. Rogue-like actiony game in random dungeons where you play as a mutant maple syrup monster trying to escape a secret government facility.

Given the 48 hour constraint, I am pretty pleased with the result.

]]>
The Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=339382#Comment_339382
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=339382#Comment_339382Thu, 30 Aug 2012 17:14:04 -0500twentythoughtsOne complaint, though. Someone at Sony decided that it was a good idea to set the L2, R2, R3 and L3 buttons to different sections on the back touchpanel. The R2 and L2 button areas are just where my fingers naturally rest when playing. And there's currently no way to turn it off or even set the areas to different buttons. As you can imagine, this is really annoying in games that use these buttons.

Hey, Sony? I'd like to be able to set these buttons to the FRONT touchscreen, please. Or just turn off the back panel. ]]>
The Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=339506#Comment_339506
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=339506#Comment_339506Sun, 02 Sep 2012 06:49:06 -0500Vornaskottihttp://www.dump.com/skyrimmodders/ ]]>
The Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=339532#Comment_339532
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=339532#Comment_339532Sun, 02 Sep 2012 16:11:55 -0500James CunninghamThe Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=339560#Comment_339560
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=339560#Comment_339560Mon, 03 Sep 2012 03:21:27 -0500FlabyoIf you have a decent pile of RockBand tracks on your console then I'd say it's worth the points because you can play every track you already own on it. And the 25 new tracks that come with Blitz will play in RockBand 3 as well.

Don't think it's as good an investment if you've not already been spending lots on RockBand over the years though. ]]>
The Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=339569#Comment_339569
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=339569#Comment_339569Mon, 03 Sep 2012 11:38:24 -0500VornaskottiMore musings here: Telltale’s The Walking Dead – Excellent Interpersonal Drama (With Zombies) ]]>
The Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=339572#Comment_339572
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=339572#Comment_339572Mon, 03 Sep 2012 15:17:01 -0500twentythoughtsThe Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=339576#Comment_339576
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=339576#Comment_339576Mon, 03 Sep 2012 18:09:32 -0500InvincibleMProbably one of my favorite games of all time. It was so difficult while still being doable and so over the top and just perfect.

Never could destroy one of those cars though. ]]>
The Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=339579#Comment_339579
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=339579#Comment_339579Mon, 03 Sep 2012 19:27:58 -0500agentarsenicNew Super Mario Bros 2 - same old Mario, same old fun. It's a pretty Mario, but I didn't find it difficult or innovative.

Skyward Sword - booted it up after a 6 month month respite, finally got past the desert and started to enjoy the game once again.

AssCreed 2 - I tried to get into the first one, and it was fun for like 20 minutes...and because of that I ignored the sequels. AC3 got me interested, so I Gamefly'd AC2 and it was pretty enjoyable. I hear the two follow ups are even better.

Borderlands goes free for PS+ members tonight, and since my PC is dead I'm going to download it. ]]>
The Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=339599#Comment_339599
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=339599#Comment_339599Tue, 04 Sep 2012 00:49:22 -0500FlabyoStarted off with 'The Last Story' from Mistwalker. Unlike Mistwalkers previous two RPGs (Blue Dragon and Lost Odyssey) which were both *very* traditional JRPG fare, this has a strong realtime combat, almost action game, feel to it. Reminds me a lot of FF12 mechanically as well.

First thing is having to get past the lower resolution visuals though. I game primarily on 360 in 1080p, so dropping down to 480p is pretty noticeable. It's a good looking game once you mentally adjust though.

It's doing everything right so far. The backstory is being fed in slowly and naturally through the dialogue (no need to read a pile of log entries to be able to understand it, unlike say, FF13), the combat is interesting, and for me the best part is that the characters actually have *character*. They're not just 'mage chick', 'sword guy' etc...

I think it partly helps that they've done their RPG localisation here in the UK, so the entire cast appears to be British (or at least really good at British accents). And I don't mean just 'posh English' either, there's a whole mix from all over the isles going on here.

I'm told this is quite short by RPG standards, but I don't really mind that. I prefer an experience that holds it's quality level the whole way through to one that dips as it tries to stretch things out too far. ]]>
The Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=339611#Comment_339611
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=339611#Comment_339611Tue, 04 Sep 2012 07:12:00 -0500SolarioThe Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=339618#Comment_339618
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=339618#Comment_339618Tue, 04 Sep 2012 10:45:40 -0500RenThing
PA reviews Joust, which sounds both interestingly dangerous and dangerously interesting. ]]>
The Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=339620#Comment_339620
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=339620#Comment_339620Tue, 04 Sep 2012 11:15:13 -0500ArgosThe Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=339625#Comment_339625
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=339625#Comment_339625Tue, 04 Sep 2012 13:31:16 -0500chiaslut
I had never been to a convention of any kind before. There were far too many people, but the grander and spectacle allowed me to look past it. Everyone was really happy to be there and there didn't seem to be the usual annoying things people do to each other in large groups. I was also there with a group of really good friends, who were a joy to be with.My favorite part had to be the indie game area. I threw my money at a bunch of them and would have spent more if I'd had it. My friends and I are really excited about MinionMaster, an interesting take on computer card games. I played briefly last night and am looking forward to playing with them soon. I was kind of infatuated with Sifteo, but the price tag was too high for me to pull the trigger.

I also got to meet the esteemed Morac, who was a swell guy. It was my very first Whitechapel meet-up! It was the last day and everyone was wrecked. We had a brief, but pleasant conversation, then went our separate ways to die a little bit. The poor guy caught the PAX Plague aka Con Crud aka SmallPAX too. Hope he's feeling better soon. I've, so far, managed to avoid it. I have a decent immune system and was hitting the vitamin C pretty hard in hopes it would help.We took several pics with my phone but they were all blurry. I suspect Morac of having too much awesome that interferes with photographic equipment. We took a pic with his phone too, so he might have a better copy. ]]>
The Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=339654#Comment_339654
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=339654#Comment_339654Wed, 05 Sep 2012 02:23:28 -0500screaming meat
actual experience, total playing time played... CoD and BF3, I'm looking at you. ]]>
The Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=339668#Comment_339668
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=339668#Comment_339668Wed, 05 Sep 2012 08:49:23 -0500Will Couper

Will ]]>
The Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=339768#Comment_339768
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=339768#Comment_339768Thu, 06 Sep 2012 20:21:49 -0500James Cunningham
Proteus updated to v0.02. If you've got the game, there's new goodies. If you don't have the game and are looking for a lovely walk through the lo-fi digital woods, I really can't say enough good things about it. ]]>
The Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=339788#Comment_339788
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=339788#Comment_339788Fri, 07 Sep 2012 09:25:54 -0500joe.distortThe Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=339835#Comment_339835
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=339835#Comment_339835Sat, 08 Sep 2012 14:18:27 -0500twentythoughtsBuggy, though. First one guy stood up in the middle of a conversation, so his guitar protruded from his leg since he was supposed to be playing it. Then when I exited one conversation on a train, the camera decided it wanted to be about ten-twenty meters under the tracks and slowly rotating. Would've actually made for a neat screensaver, seeing all that cardboard scenery float by above.

But yes. This really FEELS like Walking Dead. God, some of the decisions you have to make, and some of the sucker-punches that are thrown your way. Without spoiling anything, there's one person in particular in the group that I would not trust within an inch of my life (in fact, said individual has proven themself untrustworthy in life-or-death situations), and I suspect this individual did something really awful. But at the same time I sympathize with said person, and we're kinda stuck with'em anyway. So grahhhh. ]]>
The Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=339848#Comment_339848
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=339848#Comment_339848Sat, 08 Sep 2012 23:03:12 -0500tapheadAbsolutely flawless.

The games industry is changing, I can accept that, it always has and always will. But one current trend that I hear more and more about is one I'm really not keen on.

I'm talking about 'Games as Service'.

You'll hear that a *lot* if you go to gaming trade shows right now, a lot of influential people see it as the way to solve the issues of the current model, but in the process it could well kill the kind of games I like to play.

By 'current model' I mean the one where you spend 18 to 24 month making a game, burn it to a disc (or put it on a server), put it on a shelf in a store (or link it on a website), and someone buys it. The money men don't like this model because all your return on investment comes at the end, and only for a short period of time. Then you spend another 18 to 24 months with no income as you build the next one. DLC was seen by some as way to circumvent that, but most DLC 'add-ons' are pretty lame, often adding nothing of worth (especially in story driven games).

What 'Games as Service' does is say 'build a game in about 9 months, but make it so that the intial content in it is pretty small, then every few weeks you drop more content for it until such point as people stop buying the new bits'. There's less up front cost, once your initial SKU is out then you get fairly constant revenue from that point on. It sounds perfect.

And for game designs that work with that, it is. MMO's have mostly drifted to this model, going from the 'few big box' releases to a more constant drip feed of content. Games like 'League of Legends' and 'Defense of the Ancients' show it can work extremely well.

But where it falls down is traditional single player narrative driven games. Take Mass Effect, how do you build that to this games as service model? You could borrow from TV, and take the episodic route perhaps. But with the whole point of the model being to reduce intial costs you won't build the entire story for that initial release. That means you run the risk of your grand new narrative driven title doing a 'Firefly' and being cancelled long before it finishes, leaving fans with no closure. Or you get the opposite problem and your game turns into 'Lost', dragged out way beyond the original idea to the point where it collapses under it's own weight.

Maybe it's my British roots that make this difficult for me to swallow. I'm used to stories that go on for a short while and then end properly, even long form shows in the UK tend to wrap up their stories in a couple of seasons (and crucially, British tv seasons tend to be filmed in their entirity before a single episode airs). Games as Service doesn't allow for this, if you're building everything up front to make sure it finishes as you intended in a satisfactory way, then you're going to need two years and you're working the way we all work now.

My worry is that if Games as Service becomes the only way to afford to make the big spectacle AAA videogames I love, then its going to be at the cost of the great single player experiences I *really* love. ]]>
The Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=339975#Comment_339975
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=339975#Comment_339975Tue, 11 Sep 2012 08:29:19 -0500Ben KlumasterThe Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=339976#Comment_339976
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=339976#Comment_339976Tue, 11 Sep 2012 08:30:13 -0500joe.distortproduction costs too high? cut back. the concept of teams continuing to balloon while costs skyrocketing is just ridiculous to me, but then again im probably the minority (read: not as big of a cash cow) because i just want to play good single player stuff. i dont care about multiplayer, i dont care about cut scenes, hell, for the most part i prefer XBLA games to retail releases at this point ]]>
The Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=339986#Comment_339986
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=339986#Comment_339986Tue, 11 Sep 2012 11:52:25 -0500James CunninghamI'm still pissed by Asura's Wrath, which is a game I absolutely loved until I found out the actual game ending was sold as DLC. Hell, I got the game free to review, and still feel ripped off by that.

On the other hand, Final Fantasy Theatrhythm has a ton of DLC as well, but not only is the extra content logical, the primary game has more than enough meat on its bones to justify the retail price. There's ways to do this without screwing the audience. ]]>
The Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=340200#Comment_340200
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=340200#Comment_340200Fri, 14 Sep 2012 08:49:00 -0500InvincibleMHowever, Sega doesn't have the money to fund their games anymore. So Nintendo has to.

as a result, It's going to be a WiiU exclusive.

I didn't want a WiiU. But now I'm going to end up with one.

I'm glad it's getting made but I'm anxious about how they'll have to shoe horn in the gamepad mechanics, not to mention just how capable graphically the WiiU is, even compared to the PS3/360. ]]>
The Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=340384#Comment_340384
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=340384#Comment_340384Mon, 17 Sep 2012 03:16:12 -0500FlabyoHere's the marketplace link for the Fable: The Journey demo.

Think you need to be a Gold member at the moment to download it (demo's usually are Gold exclusive for a week). Oh, and you need a Kinect :) ]]>
The Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=340386#Comment_340386
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=340386#Comment_340386Mon, 17 Sep 2012 04:04:57 -0500Ben Klumaster
FTL a couple of days ago, got pretty heavily sucked in. It definitely manages (so far) to keep that edge-of-seat "can I squeeze in task X without dying" experience flowing, especially since unlocking new starting ships relies on finding and completing special quests. Then again maybe I'm just a sucker for games that kill you and kill you and kill you. ]]>
The Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=340510#Comment_340510
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=340510#Comment_340510Tue, 18 Sep 2012 12:22:51 -0500FlabyoEnd of an era. ]]>
The Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=340515#Comment_340515
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=340515#Comment_340515Tue, 18 Sep 2012 13:03:02 -0500DavidLejeuneThe Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=340529#Comment_340529
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=340529#Comment_340529Tue, 18 Sep 2012 15:38:18 -0500FlabyoAnd to be fair to them, if I ran a company and I'd had to put up with some of the crap the 'fans' of Mass Effect and Dragon Age have tossed out at their studio the past year, and I had enough money to not need to do the job anymore, I'd almost certainly walk as well. ]]>
The Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=340531#Comment_340531
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=340531#Comment_340531Tue, 18 Sep 2012 15:54:40 -0500ArgosThe Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=340556#Comment_340556
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=340556#Comment_340556Wed, 19 Sep 2012 00:51:01 -0500FlabyoIt really is starting to become a young persons thing again, I'm only 35 and I already feel like I don't get the industry anymore.

We've had this happen before of course. A LOT of the pioneers from the 8 and 16 bit eras didn't stay in the industry past the launch of the PlayStation.

I just find it sad to see people walk away who could still bring a lot to the medium, especially when my gut feeling is that they're mainly doing it cause they're tired of the constant bashing from the internet.

(If you want to see some of the insane bullshit thrown against that company and it's staff, have a read of this) ]]>
The Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=340665#Comment_340665
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=340665#Comment_340665Thu, 20 Sep 2012 05:45:40 -0500badbearBioware has such a weird relationship with their fanbase though, it doesn't seem to be the same with other developers (please tell me if I'm wrong). There was a LOT of fan service in ME3 and I sort of wished that they had been stronger in their creative convictions. They pay so much attention to what the fanbase is saying, and I think it helps the fans feel like they have some ownership which they don't have. I'm not saying it's Bioware's fault, vociferous gamers are responsible for themselves, but I can't imagine the same interaction between creator and consumer happening in any other medium.

2) If not, a pal who's a writer in Remedy had a fun idea - come play in his X-Com squad :D http://community.remedygames.com/showthread.php?t=9366 ]]>
The Videogame Thread (July to September 2012)http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=341995#Comment_341995
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10738&Focus=341995#Comment_341995Thu, 11 Oct 2012 11:06:59 -0500Magnulus